Today is the last Office Hours of 2022 and we are taking a moment to pause in celebration.
During the 38 Office Hour discussion threads hosted this year, we collectively exchanged tens of thousands of commentsβ34,938 to be exact!
Each week, the writer community and members of the Substack team got smarter as we came together to answer hundreds questions about publishing, growing, or going paid on Substack.
Weβve met new faces and admired the regulars for their quick and rigorous answers.
Letβs all send a warm shoutout to some of the outstanding regulars in attendance for over half of the Office Hours in 2022:
Many Office Hours participants brought thoughtful ideas for what Substack could change or should improve on. Thanks to conversations that started at here, we added a suite of new features for writers site wide, including:
As we gather one last time, we want to pause and celebrate the discussion that took place here this year. Tell us: What did you learn at Office Hours that you will take with you? And, what are you celebrating this year?
Our team will be with you in the threadΒ today from 10 a.m. - 11 a.m. PST / 1 p.m. - 2 p.m. EST. Weβll pause with you in reflection and help answer any lingering questions.
On behalf of our team, thank you for choosing to write on Substack and co-create a better future for writing with us. We wish you and your families a happy and healthy holidays! Weβll see you in 2023.
I learned what an incredible community that Substack has created for writers. Probably a unique one, and that for the most part, everyone is here to support one another. Recommendations and cross-posts and the like have all come from showing up here. Thanks all. Now onto 2023!
That's definitely a good takeaway from the year! I remember last year dreaming of a day when writers wouldn't have to spend so much time on Twitter, Facebook, etc... to grow their Substacks - they could just invest more in relationships on Substack. Recommendations was a crucial step forward there.
Yes, recommendations from other Substack Writers has been extremely helpful for my newsletter. Although my growth has been slow, I'm still here... and have quite a few ideas of how to expand in 2023! I'm also a fan of the Letters idea and am excited to try that out. I have a few offers for that option so far, so looking forward to giving it a whirl very soon! Happy Holidays, everyone!
I'm with you there, Bailey. My dream... to focus exclusively on Substack and slowly ease away from the socials. Unfortunately we musicians depend on them too much, otherwise i'd be out of there in a flash!
Ironically spent part of my early morning adding blurbs to my recommendations. It felt really good to go through and ask myself, βWhy are you recommending this one?β I kept them all, but adding context will hopefully help others. A rising tide lifts all ships!
Is that because they generate reciprocal recommendations? Or are people so grateful for good recommendations that they subscribe to the recommender as well?
Pretty sure James is referencing the power of substack writers recommending each other. It's been such a great tool to bring in readers, and it creates such a great feeling of community.
Good question. I often market myself and my stack, but I do it while ALSO commenting on and engaging with other stacks. So basically: market yourself while helping other writers here. β€οΈβ€οΈπ₯
Of course not, find the best ways it works for your publication and on what social media platforms, it's definitely not a 'one fits all' ideal, at least that's how I find it :)
Anytime we find a topic we are interested in, we can see what they recommend as well...and it's like a recommendation chain develops, because from there we see what the recommenders recommend until finally we find Kevin Bacon's substack.
I don't think I could put everything I learned at office hours in a single comment. But the key thing that I've learned is that community really is the best resource. This is a tremendous community, and I really appreciate the fact that I can come here with all kinds of questions and get great answers and encouragement. Thank you!
I do enjoy that we can talk to one another in more than 140 characters. I could leave, for instance, a very long TL/DR comment missive and not disrupt people's day, but if I leave multiple tweets I will get pushback as if this is some sort of unfair rules of engagement.
That Substack is much more than just a newsletter platform;
That consistency is key to growing;
That building trust with our readers and fellow writers is so much more important than numbers... after all, this is a real, tangible community here and not a competition.
Let's leave likes, hearts and numbers to the socials ;)
Yes, consistency is a big key towards building trust and rappore with readers, and the writing community here. This has been a big takeway for me this year as well.
Iβm new to Substack and have only friends and family regularly reading On The Nature Of... but just having a place to post and interrelate to other writers has elevated my thinking and hopefully will improve my writing. Thank-you for sharing your experiences as writers and tips for how to grow an audience on Substack!
The power of Office Hours (to me) is in the feeling I carry away each week, which is that I am a part of a community of writers who are all sharing the same struggles and questions, and that my voice is valuable in that community. It has felt great when I've been able to answer some questions for other writers, and I have learned to come here with my own questions, knowing someone else will have an answer, or else will commiserate.
Office Hours has become a wonderful, anticipated part of my week when I can relax with coffee or tea and be in community with creatives from all over the world. Thank you! It's also where I learn about new Substack features and think about options for growing my newsletter over time.
I used to struggle with hitting the publish button. I had a tough time deciding a post was 'ready'. I expressed this struggle during an office hour a few months ago and got overwhelming support. 'Done is better than perfect' is a quote that stuck with me and since then I've been posting weekly (I had 0 posts before).
Cheers to a prolific 2023!
P.S If any newer (or experienced) writers want to connect/team up/hold each other accountable in 2023 hit me up.
I love this! I don't know who told you "done is better than perfect" but it's absolutely one of my mantras. Congrats on writing more in 2022, cheers to 2023!
Hi Valorie, it was actually you who told me that! I went back and checked because your name sounded familiar. Nice to talk to you again and thanks for the mantra :)
Hi Collin, i really resonate with the never-knowing-when-it's-ready-to-release thing, both with my writing and with my music. Could it be that we are both perfectionists?
Also, i would love to connect with you. I am also still fairly new to Substack.
It's been an absolute treat to meet so many capable and accomplished writers from so many walks of life. I also continue to build my Army for the Liberation of Stacks from the Fusty Word "Archive". The campaign continues!
I learned that I should take more time to attend Office Hours! I've only joined a couple of times (it conflicted with my teaching schedule at times) but I enjoyed the sense of community and the camaraderie demonstrated in the comments. And the support! Hope to see you all more often in 2023!
Ha! I've often given up my lunch with peers to do Office Hours. It's worth it even for that 30 minutes. But yes, working it into the teaching schedule is tough!
Cindy, I'm with you on this, i.e. that the timing of Office Hours often conflicts with other priorities. The cool thing that Substack added is to leave the thread up and usable indefinitely so that writers can choose time & place to participate, even if not-live or asynchronous. I find it very helpful.
Thank you so much for running office hours. It has been so lovely to meet other writers, ask for tips when I was a newbie and share tips as I got more experienced on Substack.
I learned to always share your tips and tricks for writing, newsletters, etc., no matter how small, because you never know if they might make someone look at something a different way and/or inspire them to try something new. On the flip side, always explore tips and tricks you receive. Even if they won't work for you, the connection with the person who so kindly gave them will be invaluable.
The most significant part of my year-end celebration is the practice of gratitude.
This year, one of the things I'm most thankful for is community.
Community is found (and cultivated) in all sorts of different places: at work, among interest groups, even in the checkout line with fellow haggard shoppers. I see potential for it everywhere.
Each community has its own character and DNA. This Substack community of writers is encouraging, empowering, and transparent. This doesn't happen by accident. It is foremost thanks to the team for casting vision and setting the tone, and then to active participation of so many talented and generous writers. I'm honored to be part of it.
That said, as part of my own reflection, I can't help but also think about those without community. About our national epidemic of loneliness. That many adults in this country lack a single friend. It makes my heart ache. Already this animates much of my work. In the year ahead I want to do even more.
Congrats on your growth and success! Just subscribed as Iβve been itching to learn more about anthropology and your newsletter looks incredibly interesting.
Maybe this sounds a little sappy, but I'm celebrating Substack's commitment to listening to writers in forums like this one. I know it sounds small, but it's actually HUGE. Like a lot of writers, I came to Substack from another platform. No shade to other platforms, but where they really fall down is writer outreach. Substack does a great job of engaging *with* writers, hearing our questions and suggestions, and where possible, bringing those ideas to life. I think it was the last office hours when the Substack team mentioned that one of the new tools was created during a hackathon by an engineer who lurks in office hours. That is a perfect example of how the Substack team delivers on its mission to serve writers. I really appreciate the hard work the Substack team does, and I know many of the writers here feel the same way.
Thank you, Michael! Office Hours is a favorite part of my week. A platform is nothing without people and we are lucky so many great ones show up and chose to spend their time here building with us.
I do love Substack, but I'm almost afraid of falling in love with it completely because of what happened to Twitter. Over at Mastodon, they think we're all making the same mistake with Twitter lol
I'm celebrating a return to online writing and publishing after being out of it for over a decade. I'm celebrating the other great newsletter writers that I've met and interacted with here and elsewhere throughout the Substack network and beyond. I'm also celebrating the 750 readers who have joined me on this writing journey almost 8 months ago.
I'm also celebrating everyone else's accomplishments and victories, it's been quite a year! Thanks and best wishes to all, not the least of which are the Substack team who have created this great platform, maintain it and put up with us. :) Happy Holidays, all!
what a lovely thing to say, Mark! And congratulations, by the way. I can relate to the being out of it for a long time; for me it's been over 2 decades.
Would like to echo your words! I was really depressed with writing anything this year. Google was burying my blog and tanking my traffic despite all the quality content I put out. I felt stifled by social media, aggravated by Twitter. And I was so stuck with my fiction. Substack left me with genuine excitement after a long time!
I think I'm celebrating my still-with-me long-term memory, Katie! 68 in March, my 'Stack depends on my memories of the many musical encounters and behind-the-scenes show biz peeks I had, and happily share, FRONT ROW & BACKSTAGE! So, the long-term memory will prevail, with any luck....but, the short-term memory? Not so much, Debbie!ππ
Wow, thanks, Jo! How sweet and thoughtful of you! And, a great Christmas present! What a fabulous gust of wind to propel me into the new year! '23 skidoo!!! Thanks again, Jo....stay tuned!πππ΅
Thank you to the Substack team for such an enriching and engaging year. Itβs hard to believe that it was just the beginning of 2022 when I got to participate in the Go program, and where I met an amazing cohort of writers and learned so much about the platform and its potential.
And while the last part of this year has been incredibly busy for me (starting a new job), Iβm really happy that my cohort has kept in touch - with group calls every other week, individual support on our posts, and more.
Itβs the network that makes this experience so incredible, and the strength of that network is a testament to Katie, Bailey, and the whole community team at Substack. Iβm so grateful for their support this year. Without it Iβm not sure I wouldβve stuck it out. But I did - and wrote and released 12 new original songs right here on this platform.
Wishing you all the best this holiday season, and I canβt wait to see what 2023 brings for all of us here.
Iβm celebrating half a year on Substack, publishing consistently each week. Iβm celebrating slow but steady growth--over 200 subscribers (90% I donβt know in real life) with a few paid even though I donβt paywall. And Iβm celebrating my brotherβs remission from cancer, my 21-year-old sonβs 7-month sobriety from opioids, and my older sonβs engagement to a wonderful woman who sends me handwritten notes and books she thinks Iβll like. Can it get any better?!
Just yesterday, I reached a significant milestone, 1000 free subscribers. My growth hasn't been fast or easy - I've been writing about the science behind important issues for more than 2 1/2 years. So I'm really grateful to all those 1000 readers and especially the small number who are paid subscribers.
I also want to celebrate how I achieved this milestone. I walked away from efforts to use social media to promote myself earlier in the year, because it wasn't good for my mental health (nor was I very good at it). Instead, I put my efforts into connecting with other writers, which is something I enjoy doing. I appreciate the ways that Substack has helped me to make these connections, through things like recommendations and these Office Hours threads. Thank you to Substack for encouraging and supporting these connections.
This is so great, congrats! I've been thinking for a long time about how to make academic research more public-facing, and this really seems like a solution. Kudos on your milestone!
My new short story collection comes out in January 2023! I'm already celebrating! Most of the stories I published first on Substack, which is crazy awesome. A speculative short story a week, and a wonderful community of writers to encourage me and offer feedback to keep going. Several stories will be in the collection that have never seen the light of day, and I'm celebrating Substack as a platform as a big win for me. Thank you, Katie, and the rest of the team that shows up here to help... even those developers sucking down Red Bull and Monster drinks in their dark corners, while eating Doritoes... I'm a programmer, too, so I know you're there. We're celebrating you as well :)
I find myself abandoning my blog more and more lol. It's just that I put in so much of effort, but I get no engagement or traffic. I realise I don't care about traffic as much as I want community - that's what I want most of all. Substack has given that to me.
I'm celebrating taking the leap! I had written about 50 essay fragments and hesitated about pushing them into the world. But in June, I pressed publish and started my weekly newsletter. I've met so many wonderful readers and writers and now feel my knowledge won't be lost with me if something ever happens (morbid pandemic thinking, I know). I'm adding good things to the universe, I think, and will keep building in 2023.
Thanks for offering such a great platform that makes it easy to get started!
I second the morbid thoughts! There's nothing that kills the "oh god, I will die alone in a cold, uncaring universe" feeling like putting your thoughts out into the world and seeing them be received and understood by others. Congrats on the great year!
I'm celebrating six months on Substack, a growing list of 5000+ readers, and all the interesting and wonderful people I interviewed for my profiles (I think my favorite was The Prince of Delancey, a feature on my neighborhood's friendly UPS driver!)
I celebrating coming through some tricky health challenges. Not totally recovered but getting there. And writing every week about writing on my Substack. I was discussing with a friend last night that as my health got challenging, there was more depth to my writing. I'm so proud that I've lasted all year and my subscriber count has gone from 380 to 794 with a few paid people.
Thanks for the mention! This year I celebrate taking the initiative to publish my historical novel here on Substack. In recent years, traditional publishers have become more interested in activism than art, and Iβm grateful to have found a place where writers can simply share their unmolested imaginative works with interested readers--and where readers can find great writing they might otherwise never see. I celebrate the awesome community of writers and readers who inspire, challenge, and support each other here everyday. All the best to you in the new year! :-)
Really nice to meet another fiction Substacker - I'm thinking of releasing my novel into Substack but am a little scared lol. Mainly that it'll be ignored. Any tips?
Hi Elizabeth! That's exciting about your novel! I hope you publish it! I don't have too many tips to share because I'm still learning myself. I'm just amazed and appreciative that anyone is reading it at all :-) If you're not already a member of Fictionistas, you can be added to their directory of fiction writers:
Apart from that, I just offered my novel as a serial, posting a chapter a week, which seems to make reading less daunting. I've also found that readers are more likely to take a chance on shorter chapters. I list the reading time at the top for reference, and the app does this automatically. I try to make everything easy to navigate for readers so they don't get lost or struggle to find their place in the story. If you want to see how I've set things up, you can go here: https://jmelliott.substack.com/p/table-of-contents
I need to throw a big party for the trickster gods who gave me the gift of 2022. I left my old life behind last December (right about now, actually) and 2022 was the year built from scratch. It brought me a whole new EVERYTHING. A new home, new friends, (plus a renewed love for my old friends) and most importantly JUKE! This is the year I learned to be honest online, and I learned to let myself be less than perfect, and basically went on a whole eat-pray-love journey of freaking self-discovery with the help of a few hundred new readers and contributors. Thank you, Substack. Thank you, fellow writers. Life is a strange and beautiful thing.
What a year! Thank you all for spending it with us. Office Hours is one of my favorite parts of the week. Here you all have helped inspire what's possible on Substack. I can't wait to get back to it in 2023.
Until then, we wish you a happy holidays! I hope you celebrate, get some rest, and spend some extra time reading. https://read.substack.com/
The point is it's just such fun. The writing, especially the freedom to write what you want without anyone saying 'I'm not sure this is quite US' or that you shouldn't be writing about such and such a subject. Or that it's too niche. Niche is God over on Substack and I love the team that make it possible.
*Sheds a few Oscar-worthy tears* and reverts to being a Brit again.
Back at you a thousandfold, Bailey. You do such an amazing job under great pressure with unfailing kindness and cheerfulness, and it has been a pleasure to see and an honour to get to know you and the rest of the team. Consider me a fan of who you are & what you do.
I've been scrolling down the comments looking for a Brit. Thank God I found you guys. Now I don't feel so stupid. Plus, I love it that Brits never laugh at my jokes. G'day, matey!
Okay, full disclosure: this is going to be a real sappy and personal one, today.
Nearly a year ago I started attending Office Hours and felt SO overwhelmed. Everyone seemed so put-together, so good at what they do. I wasn't sure how to fit in! But I also sensed that there were lots of writers here--with newsletters big and small--who were ALSO feeling overwhelmed and unsure about how to keep going. So I started writing little bits of encouragement from "one small newsletter to all of you". And you know what? I learned something...
When writers gather in one place with the goal of lifting each other up, simple magical things happen. It's so tempting to think that other writers are our competition, but this weekly forum proves otherwise. There is a place at the table for ALL of us, no matter the size of our platforms. It has been my privilege to sit at this table beside you all this year!
Substack is an amazing place, yes. But it's only that way because it is FULL of amazing people: staff, writers, and readers alike. Thank you for being here. Thank you for showing up for yourself and others. And remember: keep going, keep writing, and DON'T GIVE UP! πΏ
Haven't been on Substack that long but your encouragement and enthusiasm has always been a highlight of Office Hours. I'm sure it's kept many people going
Julie , Iβm a big fan of your writing, too. I transferred over from Mailchimp about a month ago and this is my first Substack Office Hours comment! Already a huge fan of the platform π
Every week I land in Office Hours I know youβll be here, S.E., giving me (I know you do it for *us*, but it just feels so personal!) the words I need to keep my focus on the writing, not the numbers. Youβve blessed me more often than you know. Thank you!
You come across as such a genuine, caring person, Sarah. It is an energy that people may not immediately understand, but something they (we) feel. Thank you for being such a motivator and one of the brightest rays of sunshine during Office Hours! Happy holidays and big love - and decibels!
What did I learn? That Substack is kind of a miracle. When we started writing, we hoped we might make some money this year. And I'm not going to claim we've gotten rich. But the revenue has been a steady rise upward and looks to continue.
Trust me, as a writer of some thirty years, this really is a kind of miracle. I've made money from other kinds of writing. But usually not stuff I love writing.
Here on Substack, I'm writing what I love AND making money. And that's something my husband and I are thrilled to have learned. I've also learned Substack has attracted an amazing array of wonderful writers.
So thanks Substack and Happy Holidays to everyone!
Thank you, Michael. Team Substack has loved getting to know you, and we appreciate your deep thinking in everything you do - from your strategies to your feedback on the product and beyond.
I think yours was the first βstack that I upgraded to paid. Such value, personality, and fantastic posts. Thanks, Michael, to you and Brent for sharing your adventures and perspectives.
What'd I learn? I learned that writers are a great resource for one another. Specific to Substack, I learned that not every online community is transactional in nature. A lot of people here just want to help others with no expectation of anything in return. That's contagious. And it's been refreshing change.
It's also been easy to see how proactive the Substack team is as far as implementing changes/iterating. I'm not just saying that to be nice, either. I write on a few platforms. None are anywhere close to this involved.
As we close 2022, I'm celebrating another year of writing and the fact that my project actually has wings. And I'm celebrating the people who let me have a little space in their inbox during the week.
I hope everyone on the other side of the screen is having as much fun as I am.
P.S. S.E. Reid's posts are like getting 52 Christmas gifts a year.
P.P.S. Holly Rabalais should be on the "who'd we miss?" list.
I missed Office Hours today and am catching up after a morning of finishing all the grocery and gift shopping in the city. My morning was fairly crappy, but reading this has my eyes leaking a bit.
I love this community and doubt that I would be as consistent in writing without it. Substack was the thing I decided to do for me in 2022, and there are weeks I feel like being here has kept me going during a really tough year.
There is goodness here. And kindness and encouragement. Thoughtfulness and the laughs (oh, the laughs!). Iβm so thankful for everyone who keeps showing up.
Writing and engaging here has added FUN to my life. I feel like Iβm at the old-school roller rink flying across the floor with flecks from the disco ball dancing around me--and we are all looking across the room at each other, laughing and singing along and helping each other up when we take a spill. Oh, and Kevin--youβre in the both mixing the tunes.
Thank you for the mention! These office hours have been one of the best things that has come out of Substack. I'm not sure if you do already, but if not, I would recommend mentioning this forum to all new Substack accounts. While not everyone is a writer, the idea that a community exists like this is absolutely invaluable. My most significant connections all came from Substackers posting here, asking questions here, wanting more information... It has been a real blessing.
For those that don't get questions answered, please know that office hours is so crazy popular now it's hard to get eyes on everything. Try again, reach out, find a group of writers or readers that you think can help, and talk to us... Substack absolutely wants you to grow, and they do everything they can with the limited resources they have to see you're successful.
In the fiction community, we also want to see you grow as a writer! Do you need assistance, encouragement, or want to become involved? Please, reach out to us over at Fictionistas. We're a very welcoming community that is 1100 strong and we love having fiction writers on the platform. All the best to you this year, and in 2023... here is an article I wrote recently on Fictionistas about embracing the writing process:
Well said, Brian! And a big shout to the Fictionistas community! Itβs a great place to learn and grow together! Also, our one-sided rivalry with the good writers is something to behold.
Well, Iβm just giddy with excitement for a new subscriber! Thanks for signing up, and I hope youβll find it a place that entertains and makes you think.
Would love a way to 'discover' authors with 500-2000 subscribers. That's the rung up from me, and I'd love to cross-post, guest write, etc. Big name authors here already have a network of peers to do this with...it's not really penetrable any more than writing freelance for the Atlantic.
Happy new year, James. Just catching up on the Dec 22nd thread now. I am in the 500+ subscriber world and from a quick glance it looks like we have an opportunity to cross-post or guest write (my December issue was on strategy & anthropology). Happy to meet virtually - ping me at gabthinking (at) gmail (dot) com
I moved to Substack this fall, and Office Hours has been SO GREAT as a place for me to ask technical questions. The biggest help was when people patiently explained to me the difference between sections and adding additional newsletters within one newsletter, with how-to advice plus examples. I have also learned a ton just from lurking (there was a tip last week about customizing the "your subscription is ending" email that was great -- thank you!).
Everyone is so nice and helpful, and I love clicking over to read all of your nice and helpful people newsletters, so that's lovely too. Thanks, Office Hours!
I'll also say that I've been writing a newsletter for years, but moving to Substack has led to such a positive mindset shift. I liked writing a newsletter before (on Mailchimp) but it felt more like a necessary marketing tool. Now I'm looking at my Substack as more of a place to share information and open up new ways I can make money off my writing. Again, thank you.
I think for so long I viewed "making money with writing online" as somehow smarmy, but seeing so many lovely Substackers who make money by writing great essays and being themselves has really opened me up to possibilities.
Also sappy... I learned to think of myself as a writer again, after the slog of academic publishing, motherhood, pandemic, living through the Trump years ground me down. After Roe fell, I started my newsletter as a way to translate Women's and Gender Studies to a wider audience. Y'all are awesome... thank you! https://emilytaylor.substack.com/
I think the most beneficial part of office hours by far has just been connecting with other writers on the platform & receiving their advice and encouragement, especially for a new writer like me. And as the year closes, I'm celebrating that I recently achieved my goal of 100 subscribers before the end of the year. Onwards!!
Congratulation Rebecca ! Thatβs my goal too, just need 8 people π€£ it feels so good to be able to really connect with other writers and always be warmly welcomed
I've been writing on here for only two months, but I honestly feel like a different person. This beautiful format is turning me into a writer, one post at a time. I adore the ability to curate however/whatever I like. And going paid a month ago was thrilling. Never in all my imaginings did I expect to be running my very own podcast. I am a giant Substack fan and I read everything that comes my way.
I had to miss many office hours this semester because it conflicted with my college teaching schedule. But I want to thank everyone who exchanged useful ideas, replies, "likes." I've particularly enjoyed expanding my view of both my specialty (pop music, memoir) and writers who operate at the edges of my peripheral vision. Happy holidays, and don't be shy about subscribing!
Iβm never early to anything (just ask my husband- sitting in the car, looking like a Cathy cartoon anytime we go anywhere with a set arrival time) and I know Substack is a big place, but I love bumping into the same writers every week in Office Hours, because it makes this writing world feel a little smaller and a lot more connected. I have to imagine this is what it was like to be writing in the early blogging and social media days. I am always searching for (and writing about) finding your place in the world. Being here makes me feel like Iβve found mine. So- thank you!
Yes! I love that there's a "regular crowd" at Office Hours. It does make Substack feel more like a cozy little home on the internet. It feels like you can talk here in full sentences without being interrupted every two seconds by an advertisement or somebody's angry uncle storming through...
exactly Tonya ! It feels like something we did in our childhood, just meeting someone and...talk ? Without ads, without stupid videos, just talk ! so vintage π
There was no real connection with your fellow writers in the blogging days though unless you happened to run into them at an event. Only with your readers. This is definitely blogging with knobs on (not least the ability to make a bit of cash out of it!)
Merry Christmas to the Substack community! So happy to have published 90 editions and met so many amazing people here. Also, please bring back Substack Go!
I don't make it to Office Hours very often, but when I do, I find it a welcoming place with a sense of community, and I usually come away with some tidbit of helpful advice. Happy Holidays to all.
Love the post. Hi everyone, my name is Ash and Iβm a Doctor and writer! Iβve started a new substack called Y cubed, where I talk about the intersection between Health tech companies and AI. Would love to get some feedback!
Iβve βmetβ so many wonderful people here who have become true friends and champions. Thank you, Substack, for bringing us together! Wishing everyone surprise and delight in the New Year. β¨
Hey Claire, congratulations! I so wish i could delete all of mine. That's the goal for next year.
I just saw you also write about creativity, like i do. I will be sure to take a look at your Substack. Happy holidays and all the best with both your Subs!
I feel like to be transparent I should share Iβve not had Facebook since 2018 and I only use twitter for work. I take regular breaks from Instagram to boost my creativity and observe being more mindful of how I use my phone... I have to delete the app otherwise Iβd just go back on it. I donβt have notifications turned on for anything so I think this helps. β¨π§π»π
I concur. Engaging with othersβ newsletters and supporting them is invaluable and strengthens the community.
I often must remind myself asking for help is not a weakness; it is a strengthβthat is why itβs so difficult to do. Acquiring the strength to act takes courage; courage requires vulnerability.
I learned not to be so hard on myself and give myself space and time to grow. It's immensely reassuring too realize that many are experiencing the same challenges and difficulties, and being able to get advice from those who've found success on Substack is something to be thankful for. Happy holidays to all!
I appreciate the chance to read everyone's feedback and suggestions, and to give my own! Never underestimate the goodwill and creativity of the grumbly dissidents! π
I'm celebrating two years in Santa Fe, a new writing career, and many steps closer to a whole healthy me. I'm also celebrating my big win - my book just made #12 in Independent Book Review's Top 30 Most Impressive Indie Books of 2022. (Info about it in my substack if yr interested - always something in the monthly zines....) And thanks for the shoutout!
I appreciate the tag and for the conversations and friendships I made with other creators. I am thankful for the platform to give me a voice and a chance to recommend music and share cultural insights with all my readers. I will celebrate a year of hard lessons and friends standing by me through the thick of it.
With a heavy heart, I wish to inform everyone that I will be moving What's Curation? to another platform in January 2023. If you subscribe now, I will migrate you over. As this is a thread for celebration and cheer, I won't self-promote the new domain name. But I will hope to see you there next year!
Thank you Substack team for giving me the start I needed.
I learned that my newsletter is more of a creative outlet for me than a moneymaker. Which is fine. Money isnβt always an indicator of worth. Writing what I want to write and enjoy is priceless to me. Even if it βonlyβ gets a small audience. Creativity is its own reward if you view it that way. And a small, appreciative audience is a good thing also.
And now I donβt have to bother with promotion or any of the βnon-writingβ things writers do that I donβt enjoy. I can just enjoy writing and publishing my newsletter and allow people to support it if they want to. And 10 have become paid subscribers without me using a paywall or offering extras.
Interestingly, my subscriber numbers started growing faster once I stop outside promotion. The Substack network is working for me. It really took off in the spring and has been steadily growing ever since. I should hit 1000 subscribers soon.
And I love the community feel on Substack. The comments on my newsletters. And the Chats with other writers. And Office Hours, of course.
Being relatively new, I've been experimenting with format, length, frequency, etc. Recognizing the email overload everyone seems to be experiencing, I've cut back to two posts per week rather than the 4 I started out with. I love Substack and the community developing here ... but do have a concern about what happens as the number of newsletters grows exponentially. I've found so many fascinating writers here that I'm finding myself cutting back just because I can't read everything that calls to me and get anything else done. Do you think AI could do my reading for me? (Heaven forbid!)
I just want to say hello and thank you for all of your support, Substack! οΏΌ I moved my 22K newsletter subscribers to Substack on 12/14 and only regret not coming here sooner! I look forward to οΏΌ engaging more with this community. Happy new year to all! Lucy McBride
Thank you to the Substack team for such an enriching and engaging year. Itβs hard to believe that it was just the beginning of 2022 when I got to participate in the Go program, and where I met an amazing cohort of writers and learned so much about the platform and its potential.
And while the last part of this year has been incredibly busy for me (starting a new job), Iβm really happy that my cohort has kept in touch - with group calls every other week, individual support on our posts, and more.
Itβs the network that makes this experience so incredible, and the strength of that network is a testament to Katie, Bailey, and the whole community team at Substack. Iβm so grateful for their support this year. Without it Iβm not sure I wouldβve stuck it out. But I did - and wrote and released 12 new original songs right here on this platform.
Wishing you all the best this holiday season, and I canβt wait to see what 2023 brings for all of us here.
Iβm fairly new here (only just joined in October), but Iβm so glad I made the switch from Mailchimp. Iβm connecting with my subscribers in a way standard mailing lists donβt allow, and the general community here is so upbeat and helpful.
Very thankful for this great platform (and all the new features rolling out daily). Hereβs to a great 2023! π₯³
Hello everyone! I only joined Office Hours regularly in October this year and have absolutely loved meeting so many of you here. Thank you to all the people mentioned above and, of course, thank you to Substack for keeping Office Hours alive. Thank you to every single team member at Substack for all the hours you've been putting in to be with us, for patiently answering the same questions again and again (π ), for celebrating each milestone with us, no matter how large or small... and for guiding us as we navigate through and settle into this amazing platform that is Substack. I am so grateful to you all. Huge blessings and i look forward to more Office Hours in 2023.
Just want to express my gratitude to the team. That I rarely attend Office Hours is a testament to how well (and intuitively) the product works. I would not be where I am as a writer without y'all. Many thanks and best wishes for the new year from Shangrilogs.
Thanks for the shout out, that means a lot. I definitely got some interesting feedback about how to use some of the tools on Substack. I also had some great conversations generally on some issues.
I really have to thank the Substack team and community here. I've enjoyed publishing on Substack so much, and I recommend it to all my friends. It's a powerful and expressive tool that has allowed me to actually build an audience and engage with real people who like what I write.
As a reader, I really, REALLY love so much of the content I have found here too. It has really opened my eyes to different perspectives, and, in my opinion, made me a better person.
Office Hours has been fantastic! This is a community of kind folks who are eager to help - thank you to everyone! I think the biggest lesson is in the form of encouragement. Keep going! I'm grateful for all the reminders each week. It is hard to keep showing up when you're starting from scratch and your corner of the world is small but it's been exciting to see how it's possible to build authentic community in the process. So, I'm celebrating getting started (only launched this past fall) and embracing slow growth in a place that allows me a little more breathing room. A gentle and peaceful Christmas season to all and may 2023 be full of brighter days.
I think when I come on here you find people all pulling in the same direction and struggling with the same things.
So many questions have been answered over the last few months in this group.
Iβve started new conversations with people that have since carried on elsewhere and resulted in cross recommendations. Again, everyone wins from this.
Generally though, itβs about encouragement to keep going, keep learning and exploring what our readers enjoy.
Iβm celebrating the easing out of my long professional career in health care to spending more time writing. This week, I enjoyed the Substacks of Jane Rosenzweigβs Writing Hacks, Paul Mackoβs Deplatformable Newsletter, and Tobiasβs Self-Mastery Sunday, which helped with my curiosity about Ai and what it means to be a true and authentic writer. I have found Substack an excellent vehicle for my writing and self-expression, and seeing great support from Substack staff and other writers on the platform. Thanks to all, and have a happy holiday.
So many good things have come from going all in on my Substack. I canβt thank your team enough. Youβre so responsive and supportive. I am so happy I made my home here. Thank you!
I'm still a newbie ... started my column Casey's Catch 2 months ago. I'm at 160 subscribers and I really appreciate the suggestions regarding how to increase subscriptions. It's been very gratifying so far! Thanks for everyone's help!
Iβm excited to learn more on this front! This is my first office hours but Iβm excited to dig into all of the resources. Thank you all for contributing.
This year has been a wonderful experience! I blogged for years and here I am writing similar content (only much better I think) covering my passion which are non-fiction books. My subscriber base keeps growing and the community is awesome!
Iβm on the road today but I wanted to share that Iβm grateful for discovering Substack and the community of writers here at office hours. Holly Rabalais was my first subscriber from these chats, and Iβve met so many other kindred spirits. Have a great end to your 2022 everyone!
I moved to Substack in the middle of this year and Office Hours taught me how supportive this community is. I got the courage to go paid and to try out new things in my newsletter. Just reading comments helped me discover more substacks to subscribe to. Iβve lurked a lot here but now Iβm feeling more comfortable participating. So thank you to all who contribute here and to the Substack staff for hosting this space!
I just published my last full issue before I break for the holidays. When I resume posting, it will have been one full year since I launched Game & Word! Itβs been such an incredible journey, and the help, advice, and moral support I found (from Substack staff and my fellow writers alike) have been critical to my success.
Before I launched, I posted about how grateful that Substack exists and is providing a viable way to earn a living through my passion and skill in writing. I still feel that way, a full year later. Again, THANK YOU, Substack, for everything youβve done for me.
Hopes for next year: my list has grown at a great pace (recently passed 800 subs!), but my conversion rate to paid subs is... well, not sustainable π¬ Iβd love to see some features that helped nudge more folks to payβeither that, or maybe position Substack more as a place for βpremiumβ quality content (which it is) instead of the free aspect (the embedded expectations of audiences of getting content for free is what for us into this mess to begin with, and the less we can feed that and the more we can shift it, the better)?
Also, Iβd love to see a dedicated Gaming category π
Regardless, you guys are amazing, and I hope you have a wonderful holiday and all the best for 2023!
Hi Jay!! Thank you for all your ideas and for showing up so consistently. Do you have any ideas about what conversion features you'd like? We'd love to hear them and our team will be thinking about this a lot this year.
Off the top of my head, hereβs what Iβve been thinking:
a) Automated emails to highly engaged free subscribers encouraging them to upgrade to paid
b) More subscription tiers,
with customizable benefits (ie, one tier unlocks comments, the next tier comments and content, and so forth)
c) Similarly, integrations with apps like Discord or merch stores to link those benefits directly to usersβ Substack subscriptions, a la Patreon
d) Linking directly to the userβs βManage Subscriptionsβ tab in the mobile app
e) Providing a way to easily quantify the value of a subscription (ie, measure price of subscription against the # of words a user has read the previous month, to better illustrate what their money is paying for)
e) More official messaging from Substack encouraging users to view good content as valuable and writersβ labor as worthy of compensation
f) This oneβs a little more specific to me... but can publications whoβve been featured by Substack also get a fancy orange/yellow/gold checkmark of our own? ππππΌ
Iβve also been thinking... maybe a way to facilitate sponsorships/ads? I know itβs not *quite* in the spirit of what Substackβs trying to do, but if my conversion rate doesnβt improve soon, that may well be my only other viable revenue source.
Hate to be such a downer while weβre all trying to celebrate, but those are things thatβd be genuinely helpful, and I both know and greatly appreciate that you listen to writersβ ideas.
On a brighter note... again, 800 subs! Not a bad jump from 0 last year! βΊοΈ
Over the course of this year from using Substack I've learned a few things:
1) It's a great place to find and share information and meet some other great cartoonists and writers.
2) I like the Substack is always rolling out new features to help us grow a community.
3) It's been a fun outlet for me to experiment with how to publish my comics and other creative media.
4) It's taught me that finding my niche audience is one tricky marketing problem.
On a related note, I've pretty much given up on trying to build a paying audience on Substack. While I've tried everything under the sun to grow it, I've gotten nowhere with paying subscribers. I think it has to do with: A) The perceived value proposition in troubling economic times B) The fact that my kind of underground off-kilter comics and comedy also have a debatable value in the online world. C'est La Vie. This is why most of what I'm making will end up in a printed published format where fans and buyers usually expect to find these things. But still, using Substack is a great way for keeping me motivated to create the several long stories that I have in development here.
I agree! I've found Substack to be a nice place for me to publish my comic strip, which I started this year and which has been a dream of mine for some time:
What did you learn at Office Hours that you will take with you into 2023?
I learned what an incredible community that Substack has created for writers. Probably a unique one, and that for the most part, everyone is here to support one another. Recommendations and cross-posts and the like have all come from showing up here. Thanks all. Now onto 2023!
Happy Holidays, Neal! It's been great seeing you around the writer community.
Totally! Love this writing community as well. Supportive. Not toxic...for the most part π€©
Seconding this--the community here is incredible!
π₯π₯β€οΈ
Neal, it's people like you who make substack the community it is!
ππ₯
Love your work. The Perfect Mile is a favorite to re-read and recommend.
recommend, recommend,recommend
That's definitely a good takeaway from the year! I remember last year dreaming of a day when writers wouldn't have to spend so much time on Twitter, Facebook, etc... to grow their Substacks - they could just invest more in relationships on Substack. Recommendations was a crucial step forward there.
Yes, recommendations from other Substack Writers has been extremely helpful for my newsletter. Although my growth has been slow, I'm still here... and have quite a few ideas of how to expand in 2023! I'm also a fan of the Letters idea and am excited to try that out. I have a few offers for that option so far, so looking forward to giving it a whirl very soon! Happy Holidays, everyone!
I'm with you there, Bailey. My dream... to focus exclusively on Substack and slowly ease away from the socials. Unfortunately we musicians depend on them too much, otherwise i'd be out of there in a flash!
Kind of impossible to be a musician and not do the miserable SM stuff...
How do you get recommendations from other writers?
100%! Thanks to the recommendations feature, I feel like I can focus on writing more than promoting. So important.
I know thatβs right Bailey. TRUTH!
Ironically spent part of my early morning adding blurbs to my recommendations. It felt really good to go through and ask myself, βWhy are you recommending this one?β I kept them all, but adding context will hopefully help others. A rising tide lifts all ships!
That's on my list for the holidays!
Yes! Recommendations are the key π
Is that because they generate reciprocal recommendations? Or are people so grateful for good recommendations that they subscribe to the recommender as well?
Absolutely and glad to have connected with you on Office Hours!
Recommend what and to whom?
Pretty sure James is referencing the power of substack writers recommending each other. It's been such a great tool to bring in readers, and it creates such a great feeling of community.
Having it user driven and not done by algorithm has been huge.
As a newbie, that's one of the things I LOVE about Substack. I love that seeing content is consent based rather than controlled by algos and paid ads.
Freaking algorithms.
This!!!
And it works.
I need more of those on my Stack :)
Yes π
Recommend other publications!
Iβve struggled with getting more of these. I get frequent new subs, even paid, but the recommendations come very slowly!
congrats on the frequent new subs! #goals
Have you tried putting "Michael Moore's" avatar in your profile? That would be a dishonest marketing tactic.
What about recommending ourselves? π«£
Is self-advertising completely frowned upon? π«ΆπΌ
If not, how can I get better at it? π
Good question. I often market myself and my stack, but I do it while ALSO commenting on and engaging with other stacks. So basically: market yourself while helping other writers here. β€οΈβ€οΈπ₯
I like that - marketing myself while helping other writers.
Okay, interesting. I've gotta put a reading list together. Thanks for the tip π―
There are numerous subscribe buttons throughout most posts, and of course it gives the name of your substack in your response.
Of course not, find the best ways it works for your publication and on what social media platforms, it's definitely not a 'one fits all' ideal, at least that's how I find it :)
No recommendation mandates?
Anytime we find a topic we are interested in, we can see what they recommend as well...and it's like a recommendation chain develops, because from there we see what the recommenders recommend until finally we find Kevin Bacon's substack.
I don't think I could put everything I learned at office hours in a single comment. But the key thing that I've learned is that community really is the best resource. This is a tremendous community, and I really appreciate the fact that I can come here with all kinds of questions and get great answers and encouragement. Thank you!
That's a great lesson and I totally agree. The Office Hours community has been great.
bingo
I do enjoy that we can talk to one another in more than 140 characters. I could leave, for instance, a very long TL/DR comment missive and not disrupt people's day, but if I leave multiple tweets I will get pushback as if this is some sort of unfair rules of engagement.
That Substack is much more than just a newsletter platform;
That consistency is key to growing;
That building trust with our readers and fellow writers is so much more important than numbers... after all, this is a real, tangible community here and not a competition.
Let's leave likes, hearts and numbers to the socials ;)
Nicely put, Jo. Community, not competition. I'm all for it!
Yes, consistency is a big key towards building trust and rappore with readers, and the writing community here. This has been a big takeway for me this year as well.
1. Take a plunge and tell the world that you're writing on Substack - (still working on my imposter syndrome, but I will get there!)
2. Write anything at all. Start anywhere at all!
3. Writing is a craft just like anything else - the more you do, the better you will get!
On #3. The more you do, the more obvious when you start writing less than stellar material.
Yes 100%!
Okay, I'm taking your advice. I'm going to tell the world. Writing is what I want to be doing!
That if you contribute you become part of a very special community
Iβm new to Substack and have only friends and family regularly reading On The Nature Of... but just having a place to post and interrelate to other writers has elevated my thinking and hopefully will improve my writing. Thank-you for sharing your experiences as writers and tips for how to grow an audience on Substack!
very true!
Yes!!!
The power of Office Hours (to me) is in the feeling I carry away each week, which is that I am a part of a community of writers who are all sharing the same struggles and questions, and that my voice is valuable in that community. It has felt great when I've been able to answer some questions for other writers, and I have learned to come here with my own questions, knowing someone else will have an answer, or else will commiserate.
Yes!
Office Hours has become a wonderful, anticipated part of my week when I can relax with coffee or tea and be in community with creatives from all over the world. Thank you! It's also where I learn about new Substack features and think about options for growing my newsletter over time.
πππ«°
"spend a little time, even if just five minutes in your writer mind everyday"
Oh I love that Tobi! Thank you.
Sound interesting Tobi ;-) I wish you would expand this idea
Only five minutes? What is a "writer mind" like?
Confused, rife with self-doubt and self-examination.
......with a parking meter...........apparently.
I used to struggle with hitting the publish button. I had a tough time deciding a post was 'ready'. I expressed this struggle during an office hour a few months ago and got overwhelming support. 'Done is better than perfect' is a quote that stuck with me and since then I've been posting weekly (I had 0 posts before).
Cheers to a prolific 2023!
P.S If any newer (or experienced) writers want to connect/team up/hold each other accountable in 2023 hit me up.
I love this! I don't know who told you "done is better than perfect" but it's absolutely one of my mantras. Congrats on writing more in 2022, cheers to 2023!
Hi Valorie, it was actually you who told me that! I went back and checked because your name sounded familiar. Nice to talk to you again and thanks for the mantra :)
Of course! I'm so glad it's helped you!
Well done for getting over that hurdle. "Done is better than perfect" is really good. I know a variation on that - done is the new black!
Is done really done? I go back and edit my work all the time, especially after someone points something out.
Hi Collin, i really resonate with the never-knowing-when-it's-ready-to-release thing, both with my writing and with my music. Could it be that we are both perfectionists?
Also, i would love to connect with you. I am also still fairly new to Substack.
I'm definitely some form of a perfectionist (with extra steps). I actually wrote about it here: https://collinscorner.substack.com/p/dogwater-to-diamonds
i'll take a look now, sorry i didn't see this earlier.
So true. Thanks for that. Perfection is one of my greatest fears.
Sometimes the answer to that feels like "perfect is better than done."
It's been an absolute treat to meet so many capable and accomplished writers from so many walks of life. I also continue to build my Army for the Liberation of Stacks from the Fusty Word "Archive". The campaign continues!
Wait, there are stacks in captivity? Free the stacks!
I don't know what that is, but where do I sign up? :)
Yessss--free the stacks!
I learned that I should take more time to attend Office Hours! I've only joined a couple of times (it conflicted with my teaching schedule at times) but I enjoyed the sense of community and the camaraderie demonstrated in the comments. And the support! Hope to see you all more often in 2023!
We hope to see you more in 2023, Cindy!
Ha! I've often given up my lunch with peers to do Office Hours. It's worth it even for that 30 minutes. But yes, working it into the teaching schedule is tough!
Cindy, I'm with you on this, i.e. that the timing of Office Hours often conflicts with other priorities. The cool thing that Substack added is to leave the thread up and usable indefinitely so that writers can choose time & place to participate, even if not-live or asynchronous. I find it very helpful.
I learned to use the community here for advice and growth. I've broken some of my social media addiction by focusing on writing and writers here.
This isn't considered social media addiction? Because it feels a lot like social media addiction.
Takes longer to read and react, which makes it easier for me to put down π
That's a huge win :)
I learned to put my head down and write to express my voice...to be patient and persistent...and to turn off those unsubscribe notifications!
Thank you so much for running office hours. It has been so lovely to meet other writers, ask for tips when I was a newbie and share tips as I got more experienced on Substack.
I learned to always share your tips and tricks for writing, newsletters, etc., no matter how small, because you never know if they might make someone look at something a different way and/or inspire them to try something new. On the flip side, always explore tips and tricks you receive. Even if they won't work for you, the connection with the person who so kindly gave them will be invaluable.
Or hey, you make take the tip or trick you receive from them and "yes, and" it and create a mutual tip together.
Oh, and a little encouragement goes a loooooong way.
What are you celebrating this year?
4000 subscribers, rather than the four (all friends) I predicted in 2021. Gobsmacked.
Yahoooo!
Your writing is so entertaining, I'm not surprised!!
Huge win! Congrats!
congratulations, Annette!
Congrats!!
Big congratulations!
πππ
Amazing, congrats!
Oh, your newsletter sounds wonderful! My parents are both Brits (along w/ a bajillion cousins) and I grew up in the States. Signing up now!
Congratulations!
Amazing! Congratulations, Annette! :)
Fantastic!
The most significant part of my year-end celebration is the practice of gratitude.
This year, one of the things I'm most thankful for is community.
Community is found (and cultivated) in all sorts of different places: at work, among interest groups, even in the checkout line with fellow haggard shoppers. I see potential for it everywhere.
Each community has its own character and DNA. This Substack community of writers is encouraging, empowering, and transparent. This doesn't happen by accident. It is foremost thanks to the team for casting vision and setting the tone, and then to active participation of so many talented and generous writers. I'm honored to be part of it.
That said, as part of my own reflection, I can't help but also think about those without community. About our national epidemic of loneliness. That many adults in this country lack a single friend. It makes my heart ache. Already this animates much of my work. In the year ahead I want to do even more.
<3
Well said!
You're one big heart on legs, Matt! i wish you continuing success and even more reasons to practice gratitude in 2023.
β€οΈβ€οΈπ₯
Jo, thank you for the kind words.
Agree. Grateful too. Love this community. So glad I found it.
123 Subscribers. Engagement and subscriptions have really accelerated in December after five months of consistent work
Congrats on your growth and success! Just subscribed as Iβve been itching to learn more about anthropology and your newsletter looks incredibly interesting.
Thanks!
That 'accelerated .. after 5 months of work' bit is inspiring to us newbies. Thanks and congrats!
Yes!!
Your stack looks intriguing. Just subscribed π₯π₯
Thanks!
Awesome.
Hopefully Iβm fortunate like you. Iβve published consistently for 4 months and mapped out January already but have no subscribers π
Maybe this sounds a little sappy, but I'm celebrating Substack's commitment to listening to writers in forums like this one. I know it sounds small, but it's actually HUGE. Like a lot of writers, I came to Substack from another platform. No shade to other platforms, but where they really fall down is writer outreach. Substack does a great job of engaging *with* writers, hearing our questions and suggestions, and where possible, bringing those ideas to life. I think it was the last office hours when the Substack team mentioned that one of the new tools was created during a hackathon by an engineer who lurks in office hours. That is a perfect example of how the Substack team delivers on its mission to serve writers. I really appreciate the hard work the Substack team does, and I know many of the writers here feel the same way.
Thank you, Michael! Office Hours is a favorite part of my week. A platform is nothing without people and we are lucky so many great ones show up and chose to spend their time here building with us.
Dude!
I do love Substack, but I'm almost afraid of falling in love with it completely because of what happened to Twitter. Over at Mastodon, they think we're all making the same mistake with Twitter lol
looks good. I like slice of life humour myself, so have just subscribed!
Beautifully said, Michael.
What he said. βοΈ
No, it sounds a lot sappy. But good enough to get me to subscribe to yours. :)
I'm celebrating a return to online writing and publishing after being out of it for over a decade. I'm celebrating the other great newsletter writers that I've met and interacted with here and elsewhere throughout the Substack network and beyond. I'm also celebrating the 750 readers who have joined me on this writing journey almost 8 months ago.
I'm also celebrating everyone else's accomplishments and victories, it's been quite a year! Thanks and best wishes to all, not the least of which are the Substack team who have created this great platform, maintain it and put up with us. :) Happy Holidays, all!
Thanks Mark! We are celebrating you too!
You're killing it, Mark! I'm excited to see what's in store for you in 2023.
I second this!
Aw!
Thanks Brian!
what a lovely thing to say, Mark! And congratulations, by the way. I can relate to the being out of it for a long time; for me it's been over 2 decades.
Would like to echo your words! I was really depressed with writing anything this year. Google was burying my blog and tanking my traffic despite all the quality content I put out. I felt stifled by social media, aggravated by Twitter. And I was so stuck with my fiction. Substack left me with genuine excitement after a long time!
I think I'm celebrating my still-with-me long-term memory, Katie! 68 in March, my 'Stack depends on my memories of the many musical encounters and behind-the-scenes show biz peeks I had, and happily share, FRONT ROW & BACKSTAGE! So, the long-term memory will prevail, with any luck....but, the short-term memory? Not so much, Debbie!ππ
68? You youngsters!
π§Έπͺππ
π
You're doing great, Brad, so if you've still got your long-term memory what else do you need? π
For writing about what I write about, not much more.....thankfully! Thanks, Ramona!π₯π
The way you write, Brad, i could have sworn you were in your mid-30s! π
Same here
Thanks, Terry, for agreeing with Jo! Such a nice thought, and a great motivator to keep on keepin' on!!! Cheers, Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year!
My pleasure, squire. Same to you.
Wow, thanks, Jo! How sweet and thoughtful of you! And, a great Christmas present! What a fabulous gust of wind to propel me into the new year! '23 skidoo!!! Thanks again, Jo....stay tuned!πππ΅
π₯π₯β€οΈ
Thank you to the Substack team for such an enriching and engaging year. Itβs hard to believe that it was just the beginning of 2022 when I got to participate in the Go program, and where I met an amazing cohort of writers and learned so much about the platform and its potential.
And while the last part of this year has been incredibly busy for me (starting a new job), Iβm really happy that my cohort has kept in touch - with group calls every other week, individual support on our posts, and more.
Itβs the network that makes this experience so incredible, and the strength of that network is a testament to Katie, Bailey, and the whole community team at Substack. Iβm so grateful for their support this year. Without it Iβm not sure I wouldβve stuck it out. But I did - and wrote and released 12 new original songs right here on this platform.
Wishing you all the best this holiday season, and I canβt wait to see what 2023 brings for all of us here.
Can't believe that was just last January, feels like a lifetime ago and yesterday all at once!
Agreed!
I agree with every word!
β€οΈβ€οΈβ€οΈ
Congratulations from a fellow musician!
Iβm celebrating half a year on Substack, publishing consistently each week. Iβm celebrating slow but steady growth--over 200 subscribers (90% I donβt know in real life) with a few paid even though I donβt paywall. And Iβm celebrating my brotherβs remission from cancer, my 21-year-old sonβs 7-month sobriety from opioids, and my older sonβs engagement to a wonderful woman who sends me handwritten notes and books she thinks Iβll like. Can it get any better?!
Just yesterday, I reached a significant milestone, 1000 free subscribers. My growth hasn't been fast or easy - I've been writing about the science behind important issues for more than 2 1/2 years. So I'm really grateful to all those 1000 readers and especially the small number who are paid subscribers.
I also want to celebrate how I achieved this milestone. I walked away from efforts to use social media to promote myself earlier in the year, because it wasn't good for my mental health (nor was I very good at it). Instead, I put my efforts into connecting with other writers, which is something I enjoy doing. I appreciate the ways that Substack has helped me to make these connections, through things like recommendations and these Office Hours threads. Thank you to Substack for encouraging and supporting these connections.
Congrats, Melanie! Wishing you the best in 2023
This is fantastic. Thank you for sharing your journey and congratulations on the 1,000!
This is so great, congrats! I've been thinking for a long time about how to make academic research more public-facing, and this really seems like a solution. Kudos on your milestone!
My new short story collection comes out in January 2023! I'm already celebrating! Most of the stories I published first on Substack, which is crazy awesome. A speculative short story a week, and a wonderful community of writers to encourage me and offer feedback to keep going. Several stories will be in the collection that have never seen the light of day, and I'm celebrating Substack as a platform as a big win for me. Thank you, Katie, and the rest of the team that shows up here to help... even those developers sucking down Red Bull and Monster drinks in their dark corners, while eating Doritoes... I'm a programmer, too, so I know you're there. We're celebrating you as well :)
You can read more on my author page:
https://thestarswillfall.reindel.com
Congratulations, Brian! That's wonderful!
Thank you, Jan!
W00t!
Celebrating?
That I am writing again.
I used to have a blog where I wrote for 10 years, thousands of readers. I stopped in 2009. Now I found Substack. I love it here
I find myself abandoning my blog more and more lol. It's just that I put in so much of effort, but I get no engagement or traffic. I realise I don't care about traffic as much as I want community - that's what I want most of all. Substack has given that to me.
I'm celebrating taking the leap! I had written about 50 essay fragments and hesitated about pushing them into the world. But in June, I pressed publish and started my weekly newsletter. I've met so many wonderful readers and writers and now feel my knowledge won't be lost with me if something ever happens (morbid pandemic thinking, I know). I'm adding good things to the universe, I think, and will keep building in 2023.
Thanks for offering such a great platform that makes it easy to get started!
I second the morbid thoughts! There's nothing that kills the "oh god, I will die alone in a cold, uncaring universe" feeling like putting your thoughts out into the world and seeing them be received and understood by others. Congrats on the great year!
Well done!
I'm celebrating six months on Substack, a growing list of 5000+ readers, and all the interesting and wonderful people I interviewed for my profiles (I think my favorite was The Prince of Delancey, a feature on my neighborhood's friendly UPS driver!)
That was such a great interview! I look forward to reading more of yours!
The Prince of Delancey was my favorite too! What an awesome person.
I celebrating coming through some tricky health challenges. Not totally recovered but getting there. And writing every week about writing on my Substack. I was discussing with a friend last night that as my health got challenging, there was more depth to my writing. I'm so proud that I've lasted all year and my subscriber count has gone from 380 to 794 with a few paid people.
Wishing you good health! Thanks for being here, Cali.
That's definitely something to be proud of, Cali! I have trouble writing during health challenges, so kudos to you for using it as a tool.
Thank you. It was touch and go sometimes but I made it (with an an occasional week off)
I love the premise of your newsletter. Subscribed, and I hope that you'll get a good, healthy Christmas and new year ahead.
Thanks for the mention! This year I celebrate taking the initiative to publish my historical novel here on Substack. In recent years, traditional publishers have become more interested in activism than art, and Iβm grateful to have found a place where writers can simply share their unmolested imaginative works with interested readers--and where readers can find great writing they might otherwise never see. I celebrate the awesome community of writers and readers who inspire, challenge, and support each other here everyday. All the best to you in the new year! :-)
Happy Holidays, J.M.! Thanks for continuing to show up for fellow writers here!
Really nice to meet another fiction Substacker - I'm thinking of releasing my novel into Substack but am a little scared lol. Mainly that it'll be ignored. Any tips?
Hi Elizabeth! That's exciting about your novel! I hope you publish it! I don't have too many tips to share because I'm still learning myself. I'm just amazed and appreciative that anyone is reading it at all :-) If you're not already a member of Fictionistas, you can be added to their directory of fiction writers:
https://fictionistas.substack.com/
Apart from that, I just offered my novel as a serial, posting a chapter a week, which seems to make reading less daunting. I've also found that readers are more likely to take a chance on shorter chapters. I list the reading time at the top for reference, and the app does this automatically. I try to make everything easy to navigate for readers so they don't get lost or struggle to find their place in the story. If you want to see how I've set things up, you can go here: https://jmelliott.substack.com/p/table-of-contents
Good luck!
That's awesome, J.M.!
I'm celebrating writing about whatever I feel like writing about, that is going completely off-niche: it's very freeing!
I need to throw a big party for the trickster gods who gave me the gift of 2022. I left my old life behind last December (right about now, actually) and 2022 was the year built from scratch. It brought me a whole new EVERYTHING. A new home, new friends, (plus a renewed love for my old friends) and most importantly JUKE! This is the year I learned to be honest online, and I learned to let myself be less than perfect, and basically went on a whole eat-pray-love journey of freaking self-discovery with the help of a few hundred new readers and contributors. Thank you, Substack. Thank you, fellow writers. Life is a strange and beautiful thing.
Wow, that's great Tonya! I hope you get to keep building on what 2022 brought your way.
Thanks so much, Katie!
What a year! Thank you all for spending it with us. Office Hours is one of my favorite parts of the week. Here you all have helped inspire what's possible on Substack. I can't wait to get back to it in 2023.
Until then, we wish you a happy holidays! I hope you celebrate, get some rest, and spend some extra time reading. https://read.substack.com/
See you soon,
Katie, Bailey, Josh, Thomas, and Ngoc-Quyen
*puts aside aloof, dispassionate Englishness for a second*
YOU'RE ALL WONDERFUL PEOPLE AND YOU'VE TOTALLY GOT THIS IN 2023. GO DO ALL THE THINGS. ALL OF THEM.
*puts Englishness back on, flares nostrils contemptuously, twirls cane, marches out*
As a fellow Brit I second that.
The point is it's just such fun. The writing, especially the freedom to write what you want without anyone saying 'I'm not sure this is quite US' or that you shouldn't be writing about such and such a subject. Or that it's too niche. Niche is God over on Substack and I love the team that make it possible.
*Sheds a few Oscar-worthy tears* and reverts to being a Brit again.
"Niche Is God" should be Substack's new tagline. AMEN.
Wow... as head of marketing, I am ready to ship this!!
You can give me an extra tick for that π
I too am thankful to have a place where I can write about the things that are too niche for the mainstream publications I usually write for!
100%, Fiona!
No mention of a monocle or mustache twirling?
I shaved the 'tache off, it kept getting caught in my cane when I twirled it.
As for the monocle, I kept walking into lamp posts. (I have a pair of jewel-encrusted opera glasses for optical emergencies.)
Those'll do. Lol
You and the cast of Enola Holmes... :)
Mike, our holiday cheermeister!!! Actually - our constant cheermeister. So glad I've had the chance to get to know you through Substack, Mike.
Back at you a thousandfold, Bailey. You do such an amazing job under great pressure with unfailing kindness and cheerfulness, and it has been a pleasure to see and an honour to get to know you and the rest of the team. Consider me a fan of who you are & what you do.
Couldn't say it better myself! π
π
I've been scrolling down the comments looking for a Brit. Thank God I found you guys. Now I don't feel so stupid. Plus, I love it that Brits never laugh at my jokes. G'day, matey!
Softie, that one.
;)
β€οΈβ€οΈβ€οΈπ₯
Okay, full disclosure: this is going to be a real sappy and personal one, today.
Nearly a year ago I started attending Office Hours and felt SO overwhelmed. Everyone seemed so put-together, so good at what they do. I wasn't sure how to fit in! But I also sensed that there were lots of writers here--with newsletters big and small--who were ALSO feeling overwhelmed and unsure about how to keep going. So I started writing little bits of encouragement from "one small newsletter to all of you". And you know what? I learned something...
When writers gather in one place with the goal of lifting each other up, simple magical things happen. It's so tempting to think that other writers are our competition, but this weekly forum proves otherwise. There is a place at the table for ALL of us, no matter the size of our platforms. It has been my privilege to sit at this table beside you all this year!
Substack is an amazing place, yes. But it's only that way because it is FULL of amazing people: staff, writers, and readers alike. Thank you for being here. Thank you for showing up for yourself and others. And remember: keep going, keep writing, and DON'T GIVE UP! πΏ
Happy Holidays to all, and see you in 2023!
Haven't been on Substack that long but your encouragement and enthusiasm has always been a highlight of Office Hours. I'm sure it's kept many people going
Every. Single. Week. :)
Truth !
π₯π₯
I think thatβs the amazing thing that Substack has become. Itβs not a competition like other platforms feel like.
When one person succeeds they pull everyone else up with them through cross posting, recommendations and just sharing of ideas.
Love it
Exactly ! Weβre al in this together
Exactly π
I've really appreciated your kindness and encouragement in these threads this year. It's a good thing you've been doing. Bravo. :)
Indeed!
Yes, I love this. It's so nice to come here and have everyone lifting each other up!
W00t!
Your stack looks fun. Just subscribed π₯
Julie , Iβm a big fan of your writing, too. I transferred over from Mailchimp about a month ago and this is my first Substack Office Hours comment! Already a huge fan of the platform π
Thank you, Amy! (Office Hours is so fun!)
Thank you!
Thanks for all your unflagging encouragement and optimism. It's been buoying perhaps more than you realize! Wishing you all the best in 2023!
Every week I land in Office Hours I know youβll be here, S.E., giving me (I know you do it for *us*, but it just feels so personal!) the words I need to keep my focus on the writing, not the numbers. Youβve blessed me more often than you know. Thank you!
Thank You π
You come across as such a genuine, caring person, Sarah. It is an energy that people may not immediately understand, but something they (we) feel. Thank you for being such a motivator and one of the brightest rays of sunshine during Office Hours! Happy holidays and big love - and decibels!
I too have very much appreciated your encouraging words and supportive posts. I look for them each week.
Thanks once again and happy holidays, S.E.!
Yes!!! π₯π₯π₯π₯π₯
What did I learn? That Substack is kind of a miracle. When we started writing, we hoped we might make some money this year. And I'm not going to claim we've gotten rich. But the revenue has been a steady rise upward and looks to continue.
Trust me, as a writer of some thirty years, this really is a kind of miracle. I've made money from other kinds of writing. But usually not stuff I love writing.
Here on Substack, I'm writing what I love AND making money. And that's something my husband and I are thrilled to have learned. I've also learned Substack has attracted an amazing array of wonderful writers.
So thanks Substack and Happy Holidays to everyone!
Thank you, Michael. Team Substack has loved getting to know you, and we appreciate your deep thinking in everything you do - from your strategies to your feedback on the product and beyond.
+1! It's been a joy getting to know you and Brent. Happy Holidays!
Same to you!
Thatβs brilliant Michael, how many subs and paid do you have now?
We've got 3,148, with 250 paid, and 118 comped.
Amazing! Congrats.
Thank you!
Epic numbers.
fabulous!
I think yours was the first βstack that I upgraded to paid. Such value, personality, and fantastic posts. Thanks, Michael, to you and Brent for sharing your adventures and perspectives.
And I can't imagine a higher compliment than that! Thank you so much!
so happy for you, Michael!
Thanks! It's been a ton of work, but feels well worth it.
Just subscribed! β¨π
Thank you so much!
Just subscribed to your Stack β€οΈβ€οΈπ₯
Thanks! Just did the same!
Absolutely π―
What'd I learn? I learned that writers are a great resource for one another. Specific to Substack, I learned that not every online community is transactional in nature. A lot of people here just want to help others with no expectation of anything in return. That's contagious. And it's been refreshing change.
It's also been easy to see how proactive the Substack team is as far as implementing changes/iterating. I'm not just saying that to be nice, either. I write on a few platforms. None are anywhere close to this involved.
As we close 2022, I'm celebrating another year of writing and the fact that my project actually has wings. And I'm celebrating the people who let me have a little space in their inbox during the week.
I hope everyone on the other side of the screen is having as much fun as I am.
P.S. S.E. Reid's posts are like getting 52 Christmas gifts a year.
P.P.S. Holly Rabalais should be on the "who'd we miss?" list.
We see you having fun over there! Thanks for being here and bringing the energy, Kevin.
And great call on Holly! Holly's been a thoughtful contributor here so often. Just added her to the list.
Seconding Holly for inclusion! She has the biggest heart and has helped a lot of folk in the comments.
Thirded and so on!
YES, good call about Holly!!
It's been a true joy to see you here every week, Kevin! Thanks for encouraging ME by simply showing up so faithfully, every time!
Merry Christmas! πΏ
I missed Office Hours today and am catching up after a morning of finishing all the grocery and gift shopping in the city. My morning was fairly crappy, but reading this has my eyes leaking a bit.
I love this community and doubt that I would be as consistent in writing without it. Substack was the thing I decided to do for me in 2022, and there are weeks I feel like being here has kept me going during a really tough year.
There is goodness here. And kindness and encouragement. Thoughtfulness and the laughs (oh, the laughs!). Iβm so thankful for everyone who keeps showing up.
Writing and engaging here has added FUN to my life. I feel like Iβm at the old-school roller rink flying across the floor with flecks from the disco ball dancing around me--and we are all looking across the room at each other, laughing and singing along and helping each other up when we take a spill. Oh, and Kevin--youβre in the both mixing the tunes.
Write on!
π
Definitely agree about Holly and Sarah. And it's lovely seeing you here week after week, Kevin. Happy holidays!
Thank you Kevin!!! It's absolutely our pleasure to know you. Thank you for being so supportive and invested this year. Onwards!!
Thank you for the mention! These office hours have been one of the best things that has come out of Substack. I'm not sure if you do already, but if not, I would recommend mentioning this forum to all new Substack accounts. While not everyone is a writer, the idea that a community exists like this is absolutely invaluable. My most significant connections all came from Substackers posting here, asking questions here, wanting more information... It has been a real blessing.
For those that don't get questions answered, please know that office hours is so crazy popular now it's hard to get eyes on everything. Try again, reach out, find a group of writers or readers that you think can help, and talk to us... Substack absolutely wants you to grow, and they do everything they can with the limited resources they have to see you're successful.
In the fiction community, we also want to see you grow as a writer! Do you need assistance, encouragement, or want to become involved? Please, reach out to us over at Fictionistas. We're a very welcoming community that is 1100 strong and we love having fiction writers on the platform. All the best to you this year, and in 2023... here is an article I wrote recently on Fictionistas about embracing the writing process:
https://fictionistas.substack.com/p/embrace-the-writing-process
100% agree that a mention of Office Hours should be part of the onboarding for people just joining Substack.
"I would recommend mentioning this forum to all new Substack accounts"
Yes! I was completely unaware of Office Hours until just now!
Yeah!! And I love Fictionistas! If youβre a writer of fiction come check this out!
Fiction writer here! Subscribed! Thanks for pointing me here.
Just subbed to yours :)
Michael Mohr
βSincere American Writingβ
https://michaelmohr.substack.com/
π«°π«°π«°
W00t!
Well said, Brian! And a big shout to the Fictionistas community! Itβs a great place to learn and grow together! Also, our one-sided rivalry with the good writers is something to behold.
Subscribed!
Thank you! Iβm brand new to Substack and really excited about this.
I'm celebrating that I started writing!
Thank you so much, Substack - and thank you everyone ON Substack! I've made so many connections, and I deeply appreciate the support.
I look forward to your posts every Saturday!
Subscribed!
Well, Iβm just giddy with excitement for a new subscriber! Thanks for signing up, and I hope youβll find it a place that entertains and makes you think.
And I'm going to say exactly the same straight back at you, Holly! And thank you so much! I LOVE 'Release and Gather'! π Highly recommended!
I assumed you'd been writing for ages. I mean, apart from missing out the odd preposition, your writing is brilliant!
Thanks, Terry, and LOL!!!!!!! π€£π
I'm so thankful you started writing too!!
What an absolutely lovely thing to say! π
So glad to have "met" you this year, Rebecca!
And you, Mark! I'm surprised not to have read your name at the top of this post, by the way!
Ah well, probably just under the threshold or something.
Would love a way to 'discover' authors with 500-2000 subscribers. That's the rung up from me, and I'd love to cross-post, guest write, etc. Big name authors here already have a network of peers to do this with...it's not really penetrable any more than writing freelance for the Atlantic.
I love this idea. Great points, thank you James!
I have wondered if there was a way to do this, so + 1!
love this idea
Hi James, my newsletter, "moviewise: Life Lessons From Movies" doesn't have that many subscribers, but there is an opportunity to be a Guest Writer:
https://moviewise.substack.com/p/be-our-guest
"moviewise" is listed on Google News too:
https://news.google.com/publications/CAAqBwgKMKfgvAswtPvTAw?ceid=US:en&oc=3
+1
π₯π₯π₯β€οΈβ€οΈ
Happy new year, James. Just catching up on the Dec 22nd thread now. I am in the 500+ subscriber world and from a quick glance it looks like we have an opportunity to cross-post or guest write (my December issue was on strategy & anthropology). Happy to meet virtually - ping me at gabthinking (at) gmail (dot) com
Best, George
going to do a mention of you today...hang on...happy to be a guest author sometime.
I moved to Substack this fall, and Office Hours has been SO GREAT as a place for me to ask technical questions. The biggest help was when people patiently explained to me the difference between sections and adding additional newsletters within one newsletter, with how-to advice plus examples. I have also learned a ton just from lurking (there was a tip last week about customizing the "your subscription is ending" email that was great -- thank you!).
Everyone is so nice and helpful, and I love clicking over to read all of your nice and helpful people newsletters, so that's lovely too. Thanks, Office Hours!
I'll also say that I've been writing a newsletter for years, but moving to Substack has led to such a positive mindset shift. I liked writing a newsletter before (on Mailchimp) but it felt more like a necessary marketing tool. Now I'm looking at my Substack as more of a place to share information and open up new ways I can make money off my writing. Again, thank you.
Love it
Agree.
I think for so long I viewed "making money with writing online" as somehow smarmy, but seeing so many lovely Substackers who make money by writing great essays and being themselves has really opened me up to possibilities.
Yes! Do it!
Yes ! Thatβs whatβs fantastic with office hours, youβre never left alone with difficulties
π«°π«°π«°
Also sappy... I learned to think of myself as a writer again, after the slog of academic publishing, motherhood, pandemic, living through the Trump years ground me down. After Roe fell, I started my newsletter as a way to translate Women's and Gender Studies to a wider audience. Y'all are awesome... thank you! https://emilytaylor.substack.com/
I found out that people actually looked at and liked what I wrote - there are 399 subscribers - that number is beyond my wildest dreams.
Thanks great Janice! Well done.
Just subscribed! you might be interested in a recent column I wrote last week on attempts to revive the Equal Rights Amendment. https://maurac.substack.com/p/publish-era-let-skirmishes-begin
This is great, thanks! Let me know if you ever want to work on something together. And my in laws are from the Buffalo area :).
Just subscribed!
Thanks so much!!
β€οΈ
I think the most beneficial part of office hours by far has just been connecting with other writers on the platform & receiving their advice and encouragement, especially for a new writer like me. And as the year closes, I'm celebrating that I recently achieved my goal of 100 subscribers before the end of the year. Onwards!!
Go Rebecca!
Way to go, Rebecca, congratulations! It sounds like you reached your first 100 subs in a short time. Here's to another successful year for you!
Thank you, Jo! π
β€οΈβ€οΈβ€οΈπ₯
Congratulation Rebecca ! Thatβs my goal too, just need 8 people π€£ it feels so good to be able to really connect with other writers and always be warmly welcomed
I've been writing on here for only two months, but I honestly feel like a different person. This beautiful format is turning me into a writer, one post at a time. I adore the ability to curate however/whatever I like. And going paid a month ago was thrilling. Never in all my imaginings did I expect to be running my very own podcast. I am a giant Substack fan and I read everything that comes my way.
« One post at time « you get the point ! consistency and patience are two big values here
Rachel! Thank you for the kind words!! What a wonderful publication you're writing. Glad to have you on Substack!
β€οΈβ€οΈβ€οΈ
In one month on Substack, Iβve learned many of todayβs best writers and thinkers are here. The bar is set high, and I have short legs.
Also, Iβd like to thank Jody Sperling β The Reluctant Book Marketer β for unintentionally bringing me to Substack.
You can find Jody here β‘οΈ https://jodyjsperling.substack.com/
And a big thank you to Terry Freedman β Eclecticism: Reflections on literature and life β for supporting me along the way.
You can find Terry here β‘οΈ https://terryfreedman.substack.com
Thanks, Corey, that's very kind of you. You're also a great writer yerself.
I'm blushing.
Thanks! Subscribed!
Who to? BTW, just reading your post about taking yourself seriously. Very interesting
The bar is high but weβll help you to jump Corey πͺ
π₯π₯π₯π₯
I had to miss many office hours this semester because it conflicted with my college teaching schedule. But I want to thank everyone who exchanged useful ideas, replies, "likes." I've particularly enjoyed expanding my view of both my specialty (pop music, memoir) and writers who operate at the edges of my peripheral vision. Happy holidays, and don't be shy about subscribing!
π₯π₯π₯β€οΈβ€οΈ
Iβm never early to anything (just ask my husband- sitting in the car, looking like a Cathy cartoon anytime we go anywhere with a set arrival time) and I know Substack is a big place, but I love bumping into the same writers every week in Office Hours, because it makes this writing world feel a little smaller and a lot more connected. I have to imagine this is what it was like to be writing in the early blogging and social media days. I am always searching for (and writing about) finding your place in the world. Being here makes me feel like Iβve found mine. So- thank you!
Thanks for being here, Tami! I enjoyed meeting you this year at the design workshop Jo hosted
Same! Hope we cross paths again soon!
Yes! I love that there's a "regular crowd" at Office Hours. It does make Substack feel more like a cozy little home on the internet. It feels like you can talk here in full sentences without being interrupted every two seconds by an advertisement or somebody's angry uncle storming through...
exactly Tonya ! It feels like something we did in our childhood, just meeting someone and...talk ? Without ads, without stupid videos, just talk ! so vintage π
Ahahaha yes totally!!
β€οΈβ€οΈπ
There was no real connection with your fellow writers in the blogging days though unless you happened to run into them at an event. Only with your readers. This is definitely blogging with knobs on (not least the ability to make a bit of cash out of it!)
π«°π«°π«°
Ah- It must be all the events and conferences that knitted them together. Somehow they all seem to know each other!
that's lovely, Tami!
Merry Christmas to the Substack community! So happy to have published 90 editions and met so many amazing people here. Also, please bring back Substack Go!
+1 to that. Substack Go! was a huge value for me.
Wow 90 editions!!! Awesome work!
One by one I thought them out.
I planned them out,
I wrote them out.
As time went past
it soon turned out
that 90 weeks had passed.
Congratulation Punit, so inspiring ! One step the other then the other and repeat !
I don't make it to Office Hours very often, but when I do, I find it a welcoming place with a sense of community, and I usually come away with some tidbit of helpful advice. Happy Holidays to all.
Happy holidays to you as well!
Love the post. Hi everyone, my name is Ash and Iβm a Doctor and writer! Iβve started a new substack called Y cubed, where I talk about the intersection between Health tech companies and AI. Would love to get some feedback!
https://ycubed.substack.com/about
Just like to shoutout Mike Sowden from Everything is Amazing, Dharkesh Patel from
the Lunar society, Erik Hoel from TIP and Riz Khan from unsupervised learning....
You guys are incredible writers and bloggers. As my early Xmas gift, I was able purchase your paid subscriptions!
Anyway, happy Xmas and look forward to connecting with you all in the new year!
happy holidays, Ash!
Hi Ash -- I just subscribed. I'm not in the medical field or industry, but the issues you address are things I'm interested in.
Interesting! π«°π«°
Iβve βmetβ so many wonderful people here who have become true friends and champions. Thank you, Substack, for bringing us together! Wishing everyone surprise and delight in the New Year. β¨
<3
Surprise and delight! Yes! Thank you--and to you, Jolene!
Have some egg nog for me, Alison! π
π₯π₯π₯
Happy Holidays all! I have 2 substacks scheduled and I have deleted all social media - delighted!!
Hey Claire, congratulations! I so wish i could delete all of mine. That's the goal for next year.
I just saw you also write about creativity, like i do. I will be sure to take a look at your Substack. Happy holidays and all the best with both your Subs!
I feel like to be transparent I should share Iβve not had Facebook since 2018 and I only use twitter for work. I take regular breaks from Instagram to boost my creativity and observe being more mindful of how I use my phone... I have to delete the app otherwise Iβd just go back on it. I donβt have notifications turned on for anything so I think this helps. β¨π§π»π
You've done well!
Wow!
I learned three things:
- To attend office hours more frequently
- To be more generous in my time reading and supporting other writers
- To ask for what you want or need; people will support you
Yes! This is my first office hours and OH MY GOSH what a community. I find everything about this platform to be 100% refreshing.
I concur. Engaging with othersβ newsletters and supporting them is invaluable and strengthens the community.
I often must remind myself asking for help is not a weakness; it is a strengthβthat is why itβs so difficult to do. Acquiring the strength to act takes courage; courage requires vulnerability.
Iβve said too much.
100% agree
Absolutely right β€οΈβ€οΈ
I learned not to be so hard on myself and give myself space and time to grow. It's immensely reassuring too realize that many are experiencing the same challenges and difficulties, and being able to get advice from those who've found success on Substack is something to be thankful for. Happy holidays to all!
I appreciate the chance to read everyone's feedback and suggestions, and to give my own! Never underestimate the goodwill and creativity of the grumbly dissidents! π
I'm celebrating two years in Santa Fe, a new writing career, and many steps closer to a whole healthy me. I'm also celebrating my big win - my book just made #12 in Independent Book Review's Top 30 Most Impressive Indie Books of 2022. (Info about it in my substack if yr interested - always something in the monthly zines....) And thanks for the shoutout!
Congratulations to your achievement!
Diane, congratulations!!
Congratulations πΎπ
I appreciate the tag and for the conversations and friendships I made with other creators. I am thankful for the platform to give me a voice and a chance to recommend music and share cultural insights with all my readers. I will celebrate a year of hard lessons and friends standing by me through the thick of it.
With a heavy heart, I wish to inform everyone that I will be moving What's Curation? to another platform in January 2023. If you subscribe now, I will migrate you over. As this is a thread for celebration and cheer, I won't self-promote the new domain name. But I will hope to see you there next year!
Thank you Substack team for giving me the start I needed.
We're sad to see you go, but good luck on your next journey! (:
Tough decision, I'm sure, but I trust that you're doing what's best for you. Happy Holidays, Nikhil!
Indeed, Mark. I'll be in your inbox on Jan 3.
thank you on behalf of all other musicians for what you do, Nikhil. Somehow i missed you on here. Wishing you success wherever you decide to go.
Hey Jo, please do check out my newsletter, and if you like what you read, please do subscribe. You'll get emails starting Jan 3 from the new place.
I will do, Nikhil. Thank you.
Yes!!!
I learned that my newsletter is more of a creative outlet for me than a moneymaker. Which is fine. Money isnβt always an indicator of worth. Writing what I want to write and enjoy is priceless to me. Even if it βonlyβ gets a small audience. Creativity is its own reward if you view it that way. And a small, appreciative audience is a good thing also.
And now I donβt have to bother with promotion or any of the βnon-writingβ things writers do that I donβt enjoy. I can just enjoy writing and publishing my newsletter and allow people to support it if they want to. And 10 have become paid subscribers without me using a paywall or offering extras.
Interestingly, my subscriber numbers started growing faster once I stop outside promotion. The Substack network is working for me. It really took off in the spring and has been steadily growing ever since. I should hit 1000 subscribers soon.
And I love the community feel on Substack. The comments on my newsletters. And the Chats with other writers. And Office Hours, of course.
That's exciting! Congrats!
Thanks, Medha.
Being relatively new, I've been experimenting with format, length, frequency, etc. Recognizing the email overload everyone seems to be experiencing, I've cut back to two posts per week rather than the 4 I started out with. I love Substack and the community developing here ... but do have a concern about what happens as the number of newsletters grows exponentially. I've found so many fascinating writers here that I'm finding myself cutting back just because I can't read everything that calls to me and get anything else done. Do you think AI could do my reading for me? (Heaven forbid!)
Two is perfect I think. 1-2/week. Good call.
I just want to say hello and thank you for all of your support, Substack! οΏΌ I moved my 22K newsletter subscribers to Substack on 12/14 and only regret not coming here sooner! I look forward to οΏΌ engaging more with this community. Happy new year to all! Lucy McBride
Congratulations! It really is a great platform!
Wonderful to have you hear, Dr. McBride! Thank you for the kind words and for stopping by here <3 Onwards!
Thank you to the Substack team for such an enriching and engaging year. Itβs hard to believe that it was just the beginning of 2022 when I got to participate in the Go program, and where I met an amazing cohort of writers and learned so much about the platform and its potential.
And while the last part of this year has been incredibly busy for me (starting a new job), Iβm really happy that my cohort has kept in touch - with group calls every other week, individual support on our posts, and more.
Itβs the network that makes this experience so incredible, and the strength of that network is a testament to Katie, Bailey, and the whole community team at Substack. Iβm so grateful for their support this year. Without it Iβm not sure I wouldβve stuck it out. But I did - and wrote and released 12 new original songs right here on this platform.
Wishing you all the best this holiday season, and I canβt wait to see what 2023 brings for all of us here.
I absolutely loved your carol!! And the way you use Substack is so beautiful. Thanks for building with us. Onwards to 2023!
Thank you, Bailey!
Appreciate you guys, Happy Holidays!!!
Happy holidays
Happy holidays, SS community!
Iβm fairly new here (only just joined in October), but Iβm so glad I made the switch from Mailchimp. Iβm connecting with my subscribers in a way standard mailing lists donβt allow, and the general community here is so upbeat and helpful.
Very thankful for this great platform (and all the new features rolling out daily). Hereβs to a great 2023! π₯³
I've been thinking of switching from Mailerlite, for the same reasons
Itβs funny to see that no matter where weβre coming from, weβre all on substack because we can really connect with people
Yes! Itβs the biggest perk, in my opinion.
Definitely !
I agree. The connection with readers (comments) and other writers is the best part for me.
β€οΈβ€οΈβ€οΈπ₯π₯π₯
I moved from mailerlite I have a much better open rate
My open rate is so much better here too! On mailchimp it was around 25%, on SS it's consistently around 50%
Happy holidays, Erin!
I enjoy your newsletter! Iβm also a NH writer - (Elizabeth at Gibsonβs told me about you :)
Aw, I will have to thank Elisabeth next time I see her! And thank you for the kind words; aways nice to connect with fellow NH writers :)
β€οΈβ€οΈβ€οΈ
Hello everyone! I only joined Office Hours regularly in October this year and have absolutely loved meeting so many of you here. Thank you to all the people mentioned above and, of course, thank you to Substack for keeping Office Hours alive. Thank you to every single team member at Substack for all the hours you've been putting in to be with us, for patiently answering the same questions again and again (π ), for celebrating each milestone with us, no matter how large or small... and for guiding us as we navigate through and settle into this amazing platform that is Substack. I am so grateful to you all. Huge blessings and i look forward to more Office Hours in 2023.
May i also add Tonya Morton to the list?
ππ
Just want to express my gratitude to the team. That I rarely attend Office Hours is a testament to how well (and intuitively) the product works. I would not be where I am as a writer without y'all. Many thanks and best wishes for the new year from Shangrilogs.
Happy Holidays, Kelton!
i'm embarrassed to say that i just had to look up what a Shangrilog was, Kelton. Learnt something new today! Wishing you a happy 2023.
π well at least my meaning is finding the fictional paradise of Shangri-La in a log cabin - wishing you a happy new year as well!
I love that!
Thank you so much!
Thanks for the shout out, that means a lot. I definitely got some interesting feedback about how to use some of the tools on Substack. I also had some great conversations generally on some issues.
Best wishes for the new year, Andrew!
I really have to thank the Substack team and community here. I've enjoyed publishing on Substack so much, and I recommend it to all my friends. It's a powerful and expressive tool that has allowed me to actually build an audience and engage with real people who like what I write.
As a reader, I really, REALLY love so much of the content I have found here too. It has really opened my eyes to different perspectives, and, in my opinion, made me a better person.
β€οΈβ€οΈβ€οΈ
Office Hours has been fantastic! This is a community of kind folks who are eager to help - thank you to everyone! I think the biggest lesson is in the form of encouragement. Keep going! I'm grateful for all the reminders each week. It is hard to keep showing up when you're starting from scratch and your corner of the world is small but it's been exciting to see how it's possible to build authentic community in the process. So, I'm celebrating getting started (only launched this past fall) and embracing slow growth in a place that allows me a little more breathing room. A gentle and peaceful Christmas season to all and may 2023 be full of brighter days.
π«°πππ
Yes, itβs certainly not just a newsletter.
Iβm gradually building my Substack into a reference resource for helping people with their lives.
Building slowing into something Iβm really proud of.
https://neverstoplearning1.substack.com
W00t!
β€οΈβ€οΈ
I think when I come on here you find people all pulling in the same direction and struggling with the same things.
So many questions have been answered over the last few months in this group.
Iβve started new conversations with people that have since carried on elsewhere and resulted in cross recommendations. Again, everyone wins from this.
Generally though, itβs about encouragement to keep going, keep learning and exploring what our readers enjoy.
Looking forward to more next year!
β€οΈβ€οΈβ€οΈπ―
Love the galleries! It's a great tool to help me transition away from Instagram. Happy holidays, everyone!
Happy holidays to you too, Jim!
Happy holidays & congrats on making Vanity Fair's best books of 2022!
Thanks, Kevin--much appreciated! Happy holidays to you and yours.
Iβm celebrating the easing out of my long professional career in health care to spending more time writing. This week, I enjoyed the Substacks of Jane Rosenzweigβs Writing Hacks, Paul Mackoβs Deplatformable Newsletter, and Tobiasβs Self-Mastery Sunday, which helped with my curiosity about Ai and what it means to be a true and authentic writer. I have found Substack an excellent vehicle for my writing and self-expression, and seeing great support from Substack staff and other writers on the platform. Thanks to all, and have a happy holiday.
Congrats, Ron, and onwards to 2023!
So many good things have come from going all in on my Substack. I canβt thank your team enough. Youβre so responsive and supportive. I am so happy I made my home here. Thank you!
You are so welcome! We couldn't do it without our wonderful writers and readers that make Substack the place that it is. Thank you so much as well!
Agree! So excited to write more here.
Same!
I'm still a newbie ... started my column Casey's Catch 2 months ago. I'm at 160 subscribers and I really appreciate the suggestions regarding how to increase subscriptions. It's been very gratifying so far! Thanks for everyone's help!
Iβm excited to learn more on this front! This is my first office hours but Iβm excited to dig into all of the resources. Thank you all for contributing.
Wow 160 followers in 2 months thatβs huge Maura
This year has been a wonderful experience! I blogged for years and here I am writing similar content (only much better I think) covering my passion which are non-fiction books. My subscriber base keeps growing and the community is awesome!
Thank you for being here, Sharon! Happy holidays!
Iβm on the road today but I wanted to share that Iβm grateful for discovering Substack and the community of writers here at office hours. Holly Rabalais was my first subscriber from these chats, and Iβve met so many other kindred spirits. Have a great end to your 2022 everyone!
Happy Holidays and Happy New Year Jen!
Arrive to Office Hours earlier! π
π€£π€£π€£π€£π€£
I moved to Substack in the middle of this year and Office Hours taught me how supportive this community is. I got the courage to go paid and to try out new things in my newsletter. Just reading comments helped me discover more substacks to subscribe to. Iβve lurked a lot here but now Iβm feeling more comfortable participating. So thank you to all who contribute here and to the Substack staff for hosting this space!
Exactly π«°π₯β€οΈ
I just published my last full issue before I break for the holidays. When I resume posting, it will have been one full year since I launched Game & Word! Itβs been such an incredible journey, and the help, advice, and moral support I found (from Substack staff and my fellow writers alike) have been critical to my success.
Before I launched, I posted about how grateful that Substack exists and is providing a viable way to earn a living through my passion and skill in writing. I still feel that way, a full year later. Again, THANK YOU, Substack, for everything youβve done for me.
Hopes for next year: my list has grown at a great pace (recently passed 800 subs!), but my conversion rate to paid subs is... well, not sustainable π¬ Iβd love to see some features that helped nudge more folks to payβeither that, or maybe position Substack more as a place for βpremiumβ quality content (which it is) instead of the free aspect (the embedded expectations of audiences of getting content for free is what for us into this mess to begin with, and the less we can feed that and the more we can shift it, the better)?
Also, Iβd love to see a dedicated Gaming category π
Regardless, you guys are amazing, and I hope you have a wonderful holiday and all the best for 2023!
Cheers,
Jay
Hi Jay!! Thank you for all your ideas and for showing up so consistently. Do you have any ideas about what conversion features you'd like? We'd love to hear them and our team will be thinking about this a lot this year.
Off the top of my head, hereβs what Iβve been thinking:
a) Automated emails to highly engaged free subscribers encouraging them to upgrade to paid
b) More subscription tiers,
with customizable benefits (ie, one tier unlocks comments, the next tier comments and content, and so forth)
c) Similarly, integrations with apps like Discord or merch stores to link those benefits directly to usersβ Substack subscriptions, a la Patreon
d) Linking directly to the userβs βManage Subscriptionsβ tab in the mobile app
e) Providing a way to easily quantify the value of a subscription (ie, measure price of subscription against the # of words a user has read the previous month, to better illustrate what their money is paying for)
e) More official messaging from Substack encouraging users to view good content as valuable and writersβ labor as worthy of compensation
f) This oneβs a little more specific to me... but can publications whoβve been featured by Substack also get a fancy orange/yellow/gold checkmark of our own? ππππΌ
Iβve also been thinking... maybe a way to facilitate sponsorships/ads? I know itβs not *quite* in the spirit of what Substackβs trying to do, but if my conversion rate doesnβt improve soon, that may well be my only other viable revenue source.
Hate to be such a downer while weβre all trying to celebrate, but those are things thatβd be genuinely helpful, and I both know and greatly appreciate that you listen to writersβ ideas.
On a brighter note... again, 800 subs! Not a bad jump from 0 last year! βΊοΈ
800 subscribers in one year...took me two years to get there. It's all relative.
I agree on more tiers or options with regarding to pricing. Also be able to name each tier.
As well, I concur that more categories are needed. "Leadership" seems necessary.
And thanks Bailey for hold a space in this community.
Oh for sure, no complaints about the 800 here. I know itβs pretty far ahead of the curve for a newish publication.
I also forgot to mention, adding a βtip jarβ or similar option for one-time donations.
And yes, 1000x thanks to Bailey for all the times sheβs gone to bat for us!
Congrats πΎπ
Thanks!
Over the course of this year from using Substack I've learned a few things:
1) It's a great place to find and share information and meet some other great cartoonists and writers.
2) I like the Substack is always rolling out new features to help us grow a community.
3) It's been a fun outlet for me to experiment with how to publish my comics and other creative media.
4) It's taught me that finding my niche audience is one tricky marketing problem.
On a related note, I've pretty much given up on trying to build a paying audience on Substack. While I've tried everything under the sun to grow it, I've gotten nowhere with paying subscribers. I think it has to do with: A) The perceived value proposition in troubling economic times B) The fact that my kind of underground off-kilter comics and comedy also have a debatable value in the online world. C'est La Vie. This is why most of what I'm making will end up in a printed published format where fans and buyers usually expect to find these things. But still, using Substack is a great way for keeping me motivated to create the several long stories that I have in development here.
Keep up the good work.
some people take longer than others to get there, don't let that demotivate you. You'll get there!
Exactly Jo π
I agree! I've found Substack to be a nice place for me to publish my comic strip, which I started this year and which has been a dream of mine for some time:
https://moviewise.substack.com/p/its-all-good-times
My advice: Keep doin your thing. Subscribers will come :)